Hydraulic or pneumatic actuators often utilize a wiper about the rod thereof to preclude the passage of dirt to a seal assembly. Such rod wipers generally comprise an annular relatively hard wiper element having a lip that engages the radially outer cylindrical surface of the rod. The wiper element is generally mechanically retained within a complementary annulus or retaining ring in the actuator housing. Springs are often utilized to maintain a radially inward bias of the wiper element on the rod. However, known rod wipers are generally relatively ineffective in the presence of severe rod eccentricity and when excessive dirt or scale builds upon the actuator rod.